Chawla bats UP to a thrilling win

An unbeaten 45 from Piyush Chawla helped Uttar Pradesh to prevail by three wickets in a tight match against Madhya Pradesh in Nagpur. Needing 140 to win, UP were in early trouble as they lost four wickets for 49 runs in the ninth over but Chawla stemmed the rot setting in with a 66-run stand for the fifth wicket with Umang Sharma. UP required a further 25 runs in three overs when Umang was dismissed for 32, but Chawla, despite losing two more partners, ensured UP achieved the target with a ball to spare.

Opting to bowl, UP had been given a strong start by Ankeet Rajpoot, who struck twice in his second over to bowl out Jalaj Saxena and Naman Ojha. Udit Birla and Jatin Saxena resisted for MP with a 47-run stand for the fourth wicket before both fell to the legspin of Chawla. With India Under-19's Kuldeep Yadav bowling a stifling spell of 4-0-11-1 from one end, MP lost wickets at the other to be reduced to 92 for 8 and only a whirlwind 17-ball 38, which included three sixes, from Salman Baig stretched the score to test UP.

Karn Sharma starred with bat and ball as Railways beat Vidarbha by six wickets in Nagpur. Vidarbha chose to bat and never got going, collapsing to 91 for 9 before their No. 6 Gaurav Upadhyaya, batting with No. 11 Swapnil Bandiwar, saw them through to the end of the 20th over. Upadhyaya scored a 32-ball 49, with three fours and five sixes, and Bandiwar made an valuable, unbeaten 6-ball 0. Karn, the legspinner, was one of four Railways bowlers who took two wickets each.

Chasing 115, Railways lost two of their top three for ducks as they slipped to 16 for 3. It was here that Karn walked in to join Mahesh Rawat. Rawat was out for a 29-ball 47, after a fourth-wicket partnership of 75, but Karn saw Railways home, remaining unbeaten on 49 off 40 balls.